The Church of St Mary in

Bruton Bruton ( ) is a small market town, and civil parish in Somerset, England, on the River Brue and the A359 between Frome and Yeovil. It is south-east of Shepton Mallet, just south of Snakelake Hill and Coombe Hill, north-west of Gillingham ...

Somerset Somerset ( , ), Archaism, archaically Somersetshire ( , , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel, Gloucestershire, and Bristol to the north, Wiltshire to the east ...

, England was largely built in the 14th century. Like many Somerset churches, it has a very fine tower; less usually it has a second one as well.Norwich, 546; Somerset Churches Trust

Simon Jenkins Sir Simon David Jenkins FLSW (born 10 June 1943) is a British author, a newspaper columnist and editor. He was editor of the ''Evening Standard'' from 1976 to 1978 and of ''The Times'' from 1990 to 1992. Jenkins chaired the National Trust f ...

has called Bruton's tower "Somerset architecture at its most powerful." It has been designated a Grade I

listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Hi ...

History

The first church on the site was founded by

Ine of Wessex Ine or Ini (died in or after 726) was King of Wessex from 689 to 726. At Ine's accession, his kingdom dominated much of what is now southern England. However, he was unable to retain the territorial gains of his predecessor, Cædwalla of Wessex ...

in the 7th century, which grew into an Augustinian priory, becoming Bruton Abbey shortly before the Dissolution of the Monasteries. The church was within the grounds of the abbey so strictly a chapel of it, but always in effect the

parish church A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the Church (building), church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in com ...

of the town, with an office and what was perhaps a schoolroom in the north tower above the porch.Somerset Churches Trust The earliest part of the present building is the north

aisle An aisle is a linear space for walking with rows of non-walking spaces on both sides. Aisles with seating on both sides can be seen in airplanes, in buildings such as churches, cathedrals, synagogues, meeting halls, parliaments, courtrooms, ...

and north tower, dating from circa 1350, and the

crypt A crypt (from Greek κρύπτη (kryptē) ''wikt:crypta#Latin, crypta'' "Burial vault (tomb), vault") is a stone chamber beneath the floor of a church or other building. It typically contains coffins, Sarcophagus, sarcophagi, or Relic, religiou ...

under the chancel from the same period. Together, these three parts formed the original church before it was greatly expanded in the 15th century. In 1445, the construction of the more massive west tower was begun, followed by a new south aisle and central

nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...

. The roof and

clerestory A clerestory ( ; , also clearstory, clearstorey, or overstorey; from Old French ''cler estor'') is a high section of wall that contains windows above eye-level. Its purpose is to admit light, fresh air, or both. Historically, a ''clerestory' ...

were begun in 1506 and finished in 1523. Alterations in the 15th century were also made to the existing north aisle with new

tracery Tracery is an architectural device by which windows (or screens, panels, and vaults) are divided into sections of various proportions by stone ''bars'' or ''ribs'' of moulding. Most commonly, it refers to the stonework elements that support th ...

. The

chancel In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar, including the Choir (architecture), choir and the sanctuary (sometimes called the presbytery), at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building. It may termi ...

was rebuilt in 1743 by Nathaniel Ireson for Sir Charles Berkeley as a shallow tunnel vault with

Rococo Rococo, less commonly Roccoco ( , ; or ), also known as Late Baroque, is an exceptionally ornamental and dramatic style of architecture, art and decoration which combines asymmetry, scrolling curves, gilding, white and pastel colours, sculpte ...

styling, another unexpected note, possibly on the site of an older chancel. In 1875, the now former

rood screen The rood screen (also choir screen, chancel screen, or jubé) is a common feature in late medieval church architecture. It is typically an ornate partition between the chancel and nave, of more or less open tracery constructed of wood, stone, o ...

stood under the main tower arch, supporting the organ. It now stands in the north tower, and dates back to 1620. It is Jacobean in design. The Bruton branch of the Berkeley family have a long association with the town and the church. William Berkeley left Bruton for America becoming colonial

governor of Virginia The governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia is the head of government of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia. The Governor (United States), governor is head of the Government_of_Virginia#Executive_branch, executive branch ...

. The church has links with

Bruton Parish Church Bruton Parish Church is located in the restored area of Colonial Williamsburg in Williamsburg, Virginia, United States. It was established in 1674 by the consolidation of two previous parishes in the Virginia Colony, and remains an active Epi ...

in the restored area of

Colonial Williamsburg Colonial Williamsburg is a living-history museum and private foundation presenting a part of the historic district in Williamsburg, Virginia. Its historic area includes several hundred restored or recreated buildings from the 18th century, wh ...

Williamsburg, Virginia Williamsburg is an Independent city (United States), independent city in Virginia, United States. It had a population of 15,425 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located on the Virginia Peninsula, Williamsburg is in the northern par ...

, USA.

Architecture

It has two towers, the larger of which dates from 1445-1446, and is the furthest south of a type called the " Mendip towers". It is high. This is the west tower; the older north tower is unusually placed over the

church porch A church porch is a room-like structure at a church's main entrance. A porch protects from the weather to some extent. Some porches have an outer door, others a simple gate, and in some cases the outer opening is not closed in any way. The porch ...

.Norwich, 546 The west tower is the town's chief landmark, and it can be seen from many places around the town and beyond. The north tower is simpler in design, built of three stages with angled corner

buttresses A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall. Buttresses are fairly common on more ancient (typically Gothic) buildings, as a means of providing support to act a ...

and a stair turret. The west tower, being built and designed in the

Perpendicular Gothic Perpendicular Gothic (also Perpendicular, Rectilinear, or Third Pointed) architecture was the third and final style of English Gothic architecture developed in the Kingdom of England during the Late Middle Ages, typified by large windows, four-ce ...

style, is more decorative. It is built of four stages, and features a large six-light 15th century window, a clock face and canopied statue niches. The belfry stage has sets of three 2-light

mullioned A mullion is a vertical element that forms a division between units of a window or screen, or is used decoratively. It is also often used as a division between double doors. When dividing adjacent window units its primary purpose is a rigid sup ...

and transomed windows as arcading, with dividing pinnacled

pilasters In architecture, a pilaster is both a load-bearing section of thickened wall or column integrated into a wall, and a purely decorative element in classical architecture which gives the appearance of a supporting column and articulates an ext ...

, crowned with 4 large pinnacles. The west tower was repaired in 1910, which included renewing external stonework and parapets. The central aisle of the nave is late 15th century, and is classic late Perpendicular Gothic in style, as is the close proximity of the west window to the tower arch. The moulding on the tower arch, described as "triple wave moulding", is said to be unique. The nave roof is of tie beam and king-post construction, and consists of alternating traceried and tie beams. The chancel is a striking change to the Gothic architecture of the nave, built in the

or Late Baroque style. It has a plaster groin vault, with gold foliage as

ribs The rib cage or thoracic cage is an endoskeletal enclosure in the thorax of most vertebrates that comprises the ribs, vertebral column and sternum, which protect the vital organs of the thoracic cavity, such as the heart, lungs and great vessels ...

. The

reredos A reredos ( , , ) is a large altarpiece, a screen, or decoration placed behind the altar in a Church (building), church. It often includes religious images. The term ''reredos'' may also be used for similar structures, if elaborate, in secular a ...

is carved with symbols of the Passion, the

Sacraments A sacrament is a Christian rite which is recognized as being particularly important and significant. There are various views on the existence, number and meaning of such rites. Many Christians consider the sacraments to be a visible symbol of ...

and the Trinity.

Bells

The bells for the church are housed in the large west tower, and the current peal of six bells is the 9th heaviest peal of six bells hung for

change ringing Change ringing is the art of ringing a set of tuning (music), tuned bell (instrument), bells in a tightly controlled manner to produce precise variations in their successive striking sequences, known as "changes". This can be by method ringing in ...

in the world. The present ring of six have a long history, the oldest surviving bell being the present fourth of the ring, dating from 1528 by an unidentified founder. The fifth bell is the next oldest, cast by John Wallis of

Salisbury Salisbury ( , ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and civil parish in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers River Avon, Hampshire, Avon, River Nadder, Nadder and River Bourne, Wi ...

in 1618. By 1752, there were six bells, as Thomas Bilbie I cast the present treble and third bells. The tenor bell, originally dating from 1528 like the fourth, was recast in 1846 by Charles and George Mears of Whitechapel. Restoration of the tower occurred in 1910, when all six bells were rehung by Llewellins & James of Bristol in a new metal frame, which still holds the bells to this day. In 1930, the tenor bell was recast again by

John Taylor & Co John Taylor Bell Foundry (Loughborough) Limited, trading as John Taylor & Co and commonly known as Taylor's Bell Foundry, Taylor's of Loughborough, or simply Taylor's, is the world's largest working bell (instrument), bell foundry. It is locat ...

Loughborough Loughborough ( ) is a market town in the Charnwood (borough), Charnwood Borough of Leicestershire, England; it is the administrative centre of Charnwood Borough Council. At the United Kingdom 2021 census, the town's built-up area had a popula ...

and it is this bell that crowns the ring today. It is 52 inches (132 cm) in diameter and weighs 25 and three quarter long hundredweight (1309 kg). It strikes the note D. The entire ring was again overhauled, this time by Eayre & Smith, in 1997. This included new cast iron headstocks, gudgeons and bearings for the lightest five bells, new clappers and the frame was repainted. There is also a sanctus bell, weighing approximately 1 and a half hundredweight (75 kg), cast by Thomas Bilbie I in 1749, that hangs above the six ringing bells.

Burials

* Maurice Berkeley (died 1581) *

Charles Berkeley, 2nd Viscount Fitzhardinge Charles Berkeley, 2nd Viscount Fitzhardinge (14 December 1599 – 12 June 1668) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons of England, House of Commons at various times between 1621 and 1668. He supported the Cavaliers, Royalist ca ...

* John Berkeley, 5th Baron Berkeley of Stratton * Maurice Berkeley (Somerset MP) * Maurice Berkeley, 3rd Viscount Fitzhardinge * William Berkeley, 4th Baron Berkeley of Stratton

Parish

The Bruton and District

benefice A benefice () or living is a reward received in exchange for services rendered and as a retainer for future services. The Roman Empire used the Latin term as a benefit to an individual from the Empire for services rendered. Its use was adopted by ...

, of which the parish of Bruton with Wyke Champflower and Redlynch is a part, also includes: Batcombe, Brewham, Lamyatt, Pitcombe, Shepton Montague and

Upton Noble Upton Noble is a village and civil parish on the River Frome. It is roughly north-east of Bruton, and from Frome town centre, in the Mendip district of Somerset, England. There was a 17th-century village pub called ''The Lamb Inn (''now cl ...

. File:Rood Screen, St Mary's Church, Bruton - geograph.org.uk - 666098.jpg, Screen and chancel File:Sir Maurice Berkeley and his two wives - Bruton - geograph.org.uk - 1165475.jpg, Monument to Sir Maurice Berkeley and his two wives File:Bruton Church nave and chancel.jpg, Nave and chancel File:St Mary's Church, Bruton - geograph.org.uk - 666069.jpg, View from the east

References

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bruton, Saint Mary 14th-century church buildings in England Church of England church buildings in South Somerset Grade I listed churches in Somerset Grade I listed buildings in South Somerset

Saint Mary Mary was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Joseph and the mother of Jesus. She is an important figure of Christianity, venerated under titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, various titles such as Perpetual virginity ...